Amid all the news, let's head back to Texas. But no, not about their horrible COVID-19 policies and Gov. Abbott blocking mask mandates at schools (which school boards around the state are defying), as infection rates in the sate skyrocket And no, not the proposed fascist voter suppression laws so repressive that forced State House Democrats to leave Texas, for which Gov. Abbott has ordered them arrested when they return to Texas. No, this is a third reprehensible issue.
Yes, Texas has hit the contemptible trifecta. In two weeks, on September. 1, a new Texas law will let anyone 21 years or older carry a handgun in public without a permit or training. Yes, really. You need a license in Texas to fish. You need a license in Texas to sell alcohol. You need a license in Texas to drive a car. And to sell flowers. And make tattoos. And put up signs. But you will not need a license -- or even training -- to own a gun whose main function is to shoot other people or mailboxes, whichever strikes your fancy. Oh, and in a bit of whimsy, you need a permit to be a grave-digger. Just not one for helping make the job necessary. Given the two major gun massacres in Texas in 2019, in El Paso and Midland -- not to mention the 27 people killed in Sutherland Springs in 2017, along with all the other Texas massacres -- it's uncertain if the Texas legislature and Gov. Abbott have problematically short memories or should couldn't care less. To be clear, there are restrictions to this very open carry law, but they're few and minor. The law does not apply to people who otherwise are restricted, such as those with felony or domestic violence convictions. It's not quite certain how those prohibitions got through somehow. Given today's Texas legislature, you'd almost think they allow anyone to carry a gun for any reason whatever their age. Unless, perhaps, they were black. Though a slight majority of Texans favor the law, most Texas voters do not and law enforcement is strongly against this. Which shouldn't come as a shock, though in Texas it sort of is. This is being referred to in the state as "constitutional carry." Apparently that pesky "well-regulated" part of the 2nd Amendment in the U.S. Constitution got missed. As it always seems to be by gun fanatics. "You could say that I signed into law today some laws that protect gun rights," Gov. Abbott said when the bill was signed in June. "But today, I signed documents that instilled freedom in the Lone Star State." You certainly could say that -- it wouldn't be true, but you could say it. Requiring one to register their gun and have training doesn't take away their right to own the weapon. It just protects the rest of society from when the person decides to use the gun. But then, there's that whole idea of "freedom." To Gov. Abbott, and the Republican state legislature, "freedom" seems to mean the right to shoot someone without having registration or training, but citizens not having the right to vote unfettered by restrictions. "I don't know what it's a solution to," said James McLaughlin, executive director of the Texas Police Chiefs Association. "I don't know what the problem was to start with." That seems to be the question surrounding pretty much all reprehensible actions by Republicans in Texas these days. But unfortunately, the answer tends to be -- it doesn't matter, we can do whatever we want, and if it hurts hurts people or shreds democracy, well, so what, this is Texas. If you don't like it, we can swagger to our heart's content and secede any time we want." The door is over there, to the far-right.
1 Comment
Douglass Abramson
8/17/2021 07:48:22 pm
Unfortunately, we can't stop the Texas Republicans from doing the jobs that the gun manufacturers hired them to do; but on the bright, and very karmic side, Abbott has come down with Covid to match all of his pro-virus policies.
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AuthorRobert J. Elisberg is a political commentator, screenwriter, novelist, tech writer and also some other things that I just tend to keep forgetting. Feedspot Badge of Honor
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